The land of Morna
by MaggiSakura
Summary: "I'll let you go and live for now, but one day I will come and collect what is mine."   Rated M for future scenes.
1. Chapter 1

"..."=speaking

´...´=thinking

_Asura speaking._

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Ja näin minä olen aina oleva, vaikka en laskisikaan sinua pois käsistäni,

Ja näin minä sinusta välitän, rikkomalla ajatuksesi ja kirjottamalla kauniita sanoja.

Näin minä rakastan sinua ja huudan sinulle kun sinä olet rikkova ruumiini ja mieleni ja sinä joka tulet aina olemaan minun rakkauteni, anna anteeksi että kadotin kauniit sanasi.

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**The land of Morna.**

_Chapter 1._

Sometimes she felt like she was drowning. Bubbles escaped from her mouth and started rising to the unseen surface. Her hand couldn't reach out to that something that would probably help her. No. She couldn't be saved any longer and she knew that. Ash blond hair flickered in the water as it pressed itself against her body. Maka had her skirt and white shirt but nothing to cover her legs. Little did her eyes open when a light shined through the darkness, right above her as sunlight looks to the eye of a fish that swims in the water.

Wasn't this a dream...? A dark dream and never ending blackness...water...no escape...

"_I've come to collect you." _ Said a distant voice and at first Maka thought she had become mad. Now that she was literally swimming in madness or in something, it wasn't such a big deal so she listened. As always, almost drowning in this wickedness, that voice was her personal hell right now. Nothing here is normal, so the unknown voice must have been bad and it must have wanted to hurt her. Maka cringed.

"N-no...no...not yet...", Maka tried to say that loud but her voice was raspy and it was hard to speak. The person who spoke didn't come to say who it was or what it looked like. It simply spoke, and it felt like it was far away, but still in reach because the person spoke of her so it must have seen her from some angle Maka thought.

"_Weird one you are. Why not now when I'll collect you anyway...?"_

"I still have things I have to do...want to do...must do...", Maka spoke quietly and tried to see the speaking one with her narrowed eyes. It was tiresome to keep yourself from falling to sleep. How was it that she was so tired in her own dream?

"_You're almost dead, but you can no longer return." _The voice spoke again and Maka could have sworn that she heard footsteps coming closer. Weren't they in water?

Slowly the memories seemed to come back to her and Maka's eyes widened. Soul was right next to her, holding her and crying out - Maka, wake up, Maka! - And she...Maka raised her hand so that she could see, but it was hard. As if something was pulling her down.

Red.

There was red everywhere.

_Blood?_ She thought and looked down at her own stomach. Oh. So she was bleeding. Maka's hazy eyes were almost closed, and the blood on her head seemed to pour into the water. Crimson took over but the black water quickly overpowered it in the battle of colors, leaving only a red tail seeping out from her stomach to the surface - if this ocean had any. Her broken legs seemed like weights that slowly but painfully made the pain go worse. It was like needles prickling her gastrocnemius and pulling her Achilles tendons apart.

"_So you want to return...",_ It laughed a little with granular quality and dulcet dancing in her ears. Mocking tone was under its tongue and in every word it spoke. Maka frowned a little but soon stopped as she felt more pain in her stomach. She was dying huh? Too bad she could never surpass her mother or make Soul, her beloved partner, a death scythe.

Soul was screaming her name over and over and over again, but got no response. Tears started to fall out from his eyes, but Maka only saw fragments of this. Her eyes were slowly closing, and she felt a presence right behind her. Someone wrapped pale-no, white arms around her waist and pressed a head against her hair and was soon leaning against it. Very cold...freezing breath was making her blood freeze and scalp feel like it had lost its mane.

"Are you going to take me away?" Maka asked and didn't squirm. What good would it do and she had no energy left to spare. The white hands squeezed the wound on her abdomen and it started to bleed more heavily. Maka felt a wave of pain crawling into her being. It felt like she was being broken again and she opened her mouth to scream. A shriek left her vocal cord without her consent and filled her lungs with the atrocious liquid.

"_Such a pretty voice...",_ the speaking person was definitely a male. No doubt about it. When he started pulling her wound, Maka screeched more. It sounded like a harpy being butchered. Even thought the water was filling her lungs and it was suffocating her, it hurt. But it made her feel human emotions so that she was something more than just a floating carcass, bleeding to her own imminent doom. She felt life fill her with its horribleness and pain followed.

"Ple...please...stop it...", it was above all else a plea from the girl who was already shaking and her body was growing colder every second. There was a little trail of drool coming from her mouth and her eyes seemed hazy. Maka couldn't even be afraid since the pain blocked everything else away.

"_I like you. Such a fine woman you are."_ The man took a deep breath and buried his face to Maka's hair which was open for some reason. When she couldn't even scream anymore, Maka leaned back and the man hugged tighter, as if being her lover but also torturing the poor soul to the final extent.

"Please...let me go back...don't take me...not yet..." god, she sounded pathetic even to her own ears. The man smirked and raised his other hand to the side of her face and tilted her head up revealing a slender neck. A finger went from her cheek to her lips and down the elegant line and then stopping when the first button of the white shirt didn't let the touch go any further.

"_Raise it well...raise your soul for me, and I'll let you go. But when the time comes, I'll come and collect it."_

The hand that was still on her wound started to burn the flesh. The man was only leaving his hand there and it felt like the wound was all over her body, igniting it in flame that wasn't really there but felt like it could kill her at any second. Before Maka really knew anything, her body was being raised up - back to the surface, back from the black and red water. Back from some place unknown. She was alive again and gasped for breath.

_**-Morna-**_

At the hook cemetery, Soul heard gasping. He raised her head from her chest (just to hear if her heart was still beating but he'd still keep it a secret from Maka) and watched Maka's chest rise and fall. It was the most relieving moment in his life and a few teardrops fell from his eyes as he watched Maka come back from certain death.

"Maka..oh lord Maka you're alive..." he hugged her tightly and refused to let go even as Nyugus came to treat her seriously fatal wounds.

"Soul-kun, let go. I cannot treat Maka if you cling to her like that." Nyugus said and placed a reassuring hand over the albino boy's shoulder.

"Y-yeah. I'll let you do that."

Bandage covered and dark skin colored woman started opening Maka's trench coat. It was all bloody but Mira couldn't move it completely away since Maka was laying on it and even the slightest movement could bring terrible pain to the younger girl that was in this state.

"What happened? The enemy shouldn't have been this powerful." Mira asked while tying bandages over Maka's wound after cleaning it and closing it temporarily. She would take her to Stein who could stitch her up properly, but recovering from this...it would take at least three months. But the emotional shock and the trauma were probably too great to ignore. Maka would be forced to take rehabilitation.

"I don't know...I really don't know…dammit..." Soul cursed. He hadn't even seen what had happened and Maka was already on the ground, bleeding heavily and at some point, the enemy had escaped. "What about-"

"We got rid of it. Or Stein did to be correct." Mira answered before Soul could finish his sentence. The professor knew he wanted to ask that because it would be the first thing Maka would ask when she woke up. These children were like sisters to each other.

Suddenly a small groaning sound came from Maka. Soul and Nyugus immediately fixed their eyes onto the girl who seemed to be waking up. The green eyes opened a fraction but all that was in them was pain. Nyugus pitied her. It was cruel for her to wake now when the pain hadn't been taken away by sedatives and painkillers.

"Soul...?"

"Maka! You're awake!" Soul shouted and started cradling her but it earned a pained hiss, making Soul halt. As expected Maka really did ask about the enemy and Soul told her everything.

"Oh...So I was useless."

"Don't be stupid Maka. You did everything you could. It even killed some of the people fighting against it." Nyugus thought it a bit stupid to think like that but the enemy hadn't been strong. There was no denying her statement. Maka just smiled. Then, when she started getting up, a familiar pain shot through her stomach, traveling from there to her spine and throughout her small body. Maka let out a shriek.

"Maka don't try to move!" Soul shouted and laid the girl down again. Nyugus was pretty surprised that she could even move. Maka's shirt was open a little, but only to the point where the wound was. When the professor laid her eyes to it, she was slightly shaken inside.

The bleeding had stopped.

"Maka, this is going to hurt but Soul's going to carry you to Stein. He can operate you properly." Nyugus said urgently and stared the wound. Maka just said a little 'okay' and Soul made a face, not being sure that was it the best choice but since the nurse said so...

Walking to Stein's lab that was located outside Death City was quite hard when you had a heavy girl to carry.

"Can't you carry me a little more gently?" Maka whined.

"I'm trying." Soul answered and sighed in relief when the lab came into view. They would have to wait a little bit since Stein was in Death City at the moment so Soul laid Maka onto the couch full of stitches and put a blanket over her. Maka fell asleep almost immediately and Soul slept on the floor.

"_I'll come to collect it..." _echoed in her head even in dreamland.

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Ja näin minä katselen kanssasi kun annat minun kauniin sieluni sulaa kädessäsi ja näen kuinka hymyilet leveästi mutta samalla ehkäpä itket. Se on kumminkin omaa tarinaani kun en itsekkään vielä tajunnut olevani kuollut.

Sinä itkit.

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Yeah. I wanted to write something like this for myself so it's no wonder if you can't understand =_=

If some of you might understand the poem I wrote in Finnish, bear no mind to the crying part :'D

And those who watch soul eater anime or have watched, you guys know what the water is right? It's the madness where soul pulled Maka out of but to put it simply, it's just plain madness. The deeper you go, the madder you become.

Thanks for reading and remember to **review**!


	2. Chapter 2

Whut should I say here? Well keep reading!

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**Land of Morna.**

_Chapter 2._

Sunlight came to the lab without any warning. It kept going further and further even when the building had only one or two windows. The sun outside was glaring the ground as if wanting to burn it to ashes. Maka groaned. Soul was still sleeping on the floor from what she could see with her tired eyes. Maka rubbed her eyes a little and slowly stood up. Soul had Stein's lab coat over him and he was snoring loudly and drooling onto the floor. She didn't have the heart to wake him and chide him for his manners.

"You woke up already?" asked the professor and turned around with his computer chair. The heels scraped the floor and made an uncomfortable sound for Maka's ears. The screen showed that he was writing something very absurd too with symbols Maka didn't understand.

"What time is it?" she put a hand over her mouth when she yawned. Stein looked the clock on the wall and turned the screw that penetrated his head. "Nothing much. You should go back to sleep." He answered and stood up. Walking over to the coffee maker, he poured some into his measuring cup. Maka didn't really like coffee. It had a bitter taste and she liked sweet more.

She went down and put a blanket over herself and curled to a small ball. A little sting on her abdomen however woke her up completely.

"Ouch..." She gritted her teeth and stood up again. After moving the white shirt away Maka saw how the bandages were slightly red.

Red?

"What the...?" She was first confused why was she bleeding but soon the memory hit her with brutal sharpness. She had lost the battle and gotten injured. Yeah, she should ask Stein to take a look at her wound. Soul woke up slowly and rubbed his eyes too. Stein had woken him up earlier before and said not to drool onto his floor but he had just continued his usual sleeping, not really caring how he slept. Now he looked crappy with tousled hair.

"Morning Maka...hey you're bleeding!" Soul shouted when seeing how the bandages were red. Stein looked over his shoulder when he heard Soul.

"It's nothing serious Soul." Maka stared the wound. "I just need to change them."

"Oh yeah. The community health nurse said that you should take a look at Maka's wounds." Soul said and quickly stood up making the lab coat fall off. Stein walked over to the duo and picked the coat up.

"Nyugus did?" he asked and turned to Maka who felt out of the conversation because she had been out when Soul and the nurse talked. Maka pouted a little since to her it really didn't seem like her wounds were that serious. Stein started touching the area around the wound and Maka winced only when he touched the center. The professor let out a little sigh before standing up again. He walked to one of the lockers and took a first aid kit and walked back to Maka.

"Don't worry. It's nothing serious but I would like you to refrain from doing rash things awhile." Stein said while Maka was holding her shirt up so that Stein could do his job properly. Soul was stunned. How could so severe looking injury heal so much overnight?

"Are you sure? Nyugus said it was serious." Soul asked once more, getting suspicious stares from both Maka and Stein.

"I told you it's fine. I heal fast." Maka said.

"You won't heal fast from something like that."

"Weren't you just seeing things?"

"You could ask the nurse the same thing." Soul said and calmed down. If it wasn't serious then it was okay. After Stein was ready Maka insisted that she wanted to drink from her own cup instead of Stein's little measuring glasses and Soul didn't have anything say on the matter and both of them started walking towards Death city, Maka wincing every time she went up stairs.

The first thing Maka experienced when stepping into the city was Spirit trying to hug her but she managed to dodge the flying human. With no idea how he had sneaked out from Shinigami-sama's surveillance, it seemed like nothing was impossible for Spirit so Maka just dropped the subject.

It was normal to turn the handle of their apartment's door and step in. The next thing Soul asked was that what she wanted to eat. Maka went to change her dirty clothes to more relaxing ones. Spare skirt and white t-shirt. She also looked through the mail. To her surprise there was a postcard from her mother.

"Wow. This time she was in Africa." Maka smiled and read the test on the other side and looked the picture printed to the front in awe. Soon good scent was all over the apartment. Maka walked over to the kitchen and saw Soul doing something on the stove. Probably preparing the wok vegetables she requested.

"Soul. What are you doing? I asked you to make pasta didn't I?" Maka moaned behind him. Instead of wok and pasta, he was making wok and potatoes with some grand salad. The albino tried to hide something."Soul?"

"I-it's nothing. Go to your room and sleep. I'll wake you when the food is ready." Soul muttered and was still hiding the bowl under him.

"Meh..." Maka sighed and even at the moment of going out of the kitchen, eyed the bowl which Soul kept protecting. She had her suspicions it was that damn tomato with onions.

Maka closed her room's door and looked around. Same as always. Why was she even thinking like this? Did she want something to change? No.

´Damn I'm still tired even after sleeping all that time...´ the time between the fight and waking up process seemed so short that it felt like she...well it wasn't important. Maka fell onto her bed and muttered something to herself and the sun shone so damn bright that it was freaking hot in her room. The wound itched. She felt the urge to scratch it but Stein had said not to touch it. Next the itching feeling went to a bothering one and Maka scratched the wound, just a little. The sun seemed to fix its stare to the girl and watched through the window in her room as Maka started pulling the flesh on her abdomen a little. It didn't leave. The damn itch just didn't stop.

She scratched, pulled and finally started using her nails. A little pain went through her whole body and made her snap out of her thoughts.

"Did it open? Shit..." Maka cursed and looked how the new bandages began to go red again.

A little curiosity went over her head. Was it really as serious as Soul had said?

The scent that came to her room said that Soul was baking something. Maka however started undoing the bandages after rolling her t-shirt up a little. The color seemed to go darker when layers were removed and then, there was only bare skin. The stained bandage fell to the ground and curious green eyes stared the skin that had no wound or even scratch.

Maka was surprised. Did the doctor help her for nothing?

"What's going on?" Maka stared the spot with her round green eyes and started touching the flesh. She stood up fast and walked over to the mirror to get a better view. It was her own reflection and nothing on her abdomen.

"What the..." Maka eyed the bandages on her bed and looked in the mirror again. Her eyes widened for what she saw.

Red and White.

Tall man stood right behind her and the nonexistent wound opened up, ripping its path through her skin and it hurt - making her blood fall to the ground and staining clothes red. A wound so deep it looked very fatal.

"_But I healed you..." _the man wrapped a hand over the wound and other against her leg. She was being touched by no one.

"W...Who are you?" Maka asked with teary voice. She was afraid. Slender fingers started going up her leg but stopped when they felt the fabric of the skirt. The other leaned his head against her shoulder and Maka watched as the mirror showed the image of the man. Her small figure was almost absorbed to his in a macabre way that wasn't comforting at all.

"_Do you want to die again?" _He asked and with nothing else being done, the opened wound started bleeding heavily. Under her bare feet started forming a pool of blood. It hurt. Maka gasped a little but tried not to scream, but it was difficult.

"Stop it...stop...please..." She bit her lip. Maka took a firm grip of the man's hand that was over her wound. She tried to move it away but it didn't even flinch. The picture in the mirror smiled as the real one did too. It held no love or warmth and was chilling.

"_You really are different. Don't you have fear? Fear of dying?"_

"Anyone has fear of dying...Now who the heck are you?" Maka scowled at the reflection.

"_Let's settle with the answer the one who's keeping you alive." _Black hair that had vertical eyes on it covered his eyes, but when scarves started coming from behind him and lifting her head up he chuckled a little. The wound was gone as it had absurdly appeared too and the pain was gone too.

The man's touch was as cold as ice and the breath too. Who used scarves and had vertical eyes in black hair? Maka tried to remember but then she heard steps coming near her room.

"Maka? Can I come in?" Soul asked and knocked. The other didn't stop clinging to her affectionately which made Maka frown a bit. His fingers drew circles on her leg and felt her skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps.

"Not now Soul, I'm trying to find some other clothes." She answered as the man was staring at the door too. Was it her imagination that the air was being chilly too?

"Oh...Okay. Well food's ready so come when you're ready." Soul said and the steps furthered away. Maka sighed. It was as if her soul was frozen too. Who was this man?

A single thought came to her mind as hazy memory almost came up to the surface but she just couldn't bring herself to remember. Her back hurt as she had crashed with Soul holding her. Surely she had met him before. If it could just come to her...

"I asked who you-" Maka turned her head to shout at the man but found only her own little room with her being the only one in it. ´What is this?´ Maka thought and backed away a little. It was downright alarming. Her small hand went over to her abdomen and started feeling it. It was just plain pure skin.

Even though he was gone, Maka could feel the frost creeping into her soul as ghostly fingers were gently placed onto both sides of her head but there was still no one in the room.

Maka stood there quietly for a while, then she walked over to her door and with one last glance she shut it. The sun wasn't staring in either but it was fighting with clouds.

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But I like bitter over sweet ;_;

I ate the hot chili too and left the marshmallows for my lil'sis...

Review please!


	3. Chapter 3

So why am I making Asura the Santa Claus? No! Not Santa, but a winter lord…Well I just happen to love cold things since I live in a cold country, and I find it very cool for someone to have cold blood and breath and skin anywhere and anytime of the year. Oh and thanks for reading this. Now on with it!

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**The land of Morna.**

_Chapter 3._

"Who are you?" Maka asked and tried to remember. The man- no, the _creature _was sitting on the air in a very white space. Maka was standing on the white floor, well if you could call it a floor since she didn't know whether she could go down or did the so called floor end at all. It seemed to go on and last forever. Her eyes didn't reach a distant landscape, just white. She was probably dreaming since in no logical way could this be reality. The man didn't move nor did he say anything and Maka was getting irritated. She frowned.

"I asked who you are! Can't you understand words?" still no answer. But a smile appeared on the other's face. The black hair locks hid the eyes behind them but she guessed that they were red. Bloody red. Just like her blood...

Maka scowled. She really didn't really like the thought of being _kept _alive instead of just living like she wanted. To be a human without this, whatever it was, that was keeping her at bay like some sheep. But Maka really couldn't say she hated the man for doing so. In fact she was glad that she wasn't dead. Her father would've probably cried. Soul would've gotten another partner and all the grieving from her friends...she didn't want that.

"That's a pathetic excuse," The man said and jumped down to the floor and started walking towards her. "A weak girl like you shouldn't even think about the future. You never know when you're going to die anyway."

"Shut up! I'm not weak!" Maka shouted angrily and glared the man when he was soon right in front of her and as she had guessed, the eyes were bloody red. But what surprised her was that the eyes had smaller eyes in them. Also the hair wasn't black but had white in it and vertical eyes bleeding like some stupid non-waterproof paint. Great, now she was with a freak too...

"Well why did you almost die fighting that pathetic and uncompleted Kishin?" He scoffed and waved his hand. Maka was starting to creep out. Not by the leer but by the presence. She didn't sense anything coming from this man. No life, but he wasn't dead. Maka was curious enough to take a peek into his soul.

_Soul perception._

And what Maka saw scared her more than anything. She was in the eye of a red blazing storm. The edges were jagged and all wrong and it felt like she was viewing something that should be gone. Killed. But the size...It was nothing like the fear she had felt when seeing Dr. Stein's soul. Maka found herself backing away a little but it didn't feel like she could get out of this thing. It was everywhere yet nowhere. Black eyes bled into the red electricity and scorched her eyes and she yelped, closing them as she saw stars.

"H..how?" she stammered in fear.

"_How what?" _the voice was becoming distorted again so Maka guessed that she was waking up. The girl was so glad the starting nightmare was about to end quickly.

_"It's not very nice nice to look inside other people's souls." _the man was no longer smiling but having an unreadable expression on his face. Even though she didn't personally know this man, except that he was her savior, she preferred to come face to face with a mocking leer or a scowl but not this expression. She already disliked him and that wouldn't end well.

Maka could feel that she was waking up and saw that her body was dissolving. She raised her hands and saw that they were see-through.

"_Bye bye." _Asura said with a low voice and raised his right fist. Maka immediately thought that he was going to hit her abdomen, but the punch was directed to the face. It made contact with her nose and it hurt, making Maka fly a few feet away and then absurdly wake up.

That was the first time he had hit her. But it definitely wouldn't be the last.

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Soul wasn't one of the so called morning people and he definitely didn't like being woken up before the alarm clock went off in an ungodly hour or he got up from the bed himself. This morning morning started with the option C – brutally woken up by something entirely else.

"OUCH!" came from Maka's room and then a loud thud. He could hear cursing through all the walls separating him from his meister and Soul had half a mind to construct a few more if she didn't stop the foul words. Cursing himself, Soul got up from the bed and strolled towards the room where all the swearing was heard.

"Will you knock it off? It's half nine in the morning!" Soul shouted and quickly opened the door. He blinked.

"Sorry...goddamit." Maka complained and held her lips and red nose – both of which were bleeding. She was on the ground upside down, the conclusion was that the bed was too small for knightly fights in dreams. Did she get into a brawl while sleeping? In sandman's land?

"Wait a second. I'll go and get something cold for you." Soul sighed and walked to the fridge and took a pouch of ice out from there.

15 minutes later:

"Say you hit your face while falling off from your bed and got it all bloody. Mention the wrestling in the dream." Soul held an icy pouch right on Maka's nose. Maka was drinking a glass of juice, strap going to her mouth.

"I hit my face while falling off from the bed. None of the wrestling happened."

"Bullocks." Soul sighed. Maka's voice sounded funny when her nose was being covered. He took the pouch away and since Maka was already sitting on her bed, Soul didn't need to lift her up from the floor like the gentleman he was - sometimes.

"Thanks." Maka's eyed followed the weapon as she held her nose and watched Soul getting out from her room. Then she looked her watch on the drawer.

_´9:10. Nice. The school has started about an hour ago...WHAT!´_

The one thing Maka didn't fancy was being late, so she quickly stood up and went through her closet and took he Spartoi uniform out from there. Soul was already in his clothes and had made some quick breakfast because he had guessed Maka would notice the clock soon enough. She'd never disappoint him in not doing so. Shame.

"Here's you bread and here's your juice." Soul said and Maka tried to eat them as fast as she could. After that she ran from their apartment straight to school or would have if Soul hadn't caught up with his bicycle and asked if Maka wanted a ride. She hopped on and they rode down the road before them, occasionally avoiding cats.

In the school:

"So...you two want to explain why my best student and my second worst student are late?" Stein asked with a bright smile while sitting on his chair. Maka and Soul felt a chill ran across their spine and sweat drip from their chin. Soul had tried to ride as fast as he could but didn't make it as the second period had already ended. And after that Maka cursed like a sailor.

"We...well I kinda overslept..." Maka muttered.

"Hm? What was that? I can't hear you." Stein said sarcastically and that just made the atmosphere go worse.

"Well..."

"Detention for both of you."

Maka felt like she had just been assigned to a date with her father.

And so it was that the little oversleeping became the topic in Shibusen for the next few hours. Maka and Soul stood outside the class holding two buckets of water and Maka trying to hold her anger.

"I was aiming to become perfect being like mama...fuck this all. I'm going to screw some tiny little boy and take my anger on him" Maka cursed and let the buckets fall onto the floor.

"I pray for that poor soul you come across." Soul said, still holding his buckets. Maka walked furiously straight to the upper part of stairs but was stopped when a voice made its way to her head.

"_I need to talk to you."_ It said and soon Maka was flying down the said steps rather nastily. Soul quickly turned his head when he heard a loud sound of something breaking and some moaning.

"No shit!" Soul shouted and quickly ran to the stairs and he saw his partner being right at the end of the stairs, on the ground holding her leg. "Wait just one moment, I'm coming!" Soul shouted, letting the heavy weights fall down. He hopped the steps down, two at a time and was about to make a marvelous imitation of his meister at one step but held his balance at the last second.

"Damn." Maka said and she held her abdomen. It hurt like hell. Soul quickly lifted her up and ran to the infirmary. Nyugus would probably know what to do right? But when they arrived to the infirmary, the accursed teacher wasn't there.

"Darn it! I must have missed her." Soul cursed under his breath and put Maka laying on one of the white beds and closed the white curtains around it. "I'm going to get a teacher." he announced and disappeared.

"Of course.." Was the answer that came in a form of mumbling. But now that Soul had left, Maka finally spoke with the already familiar thing that she rather wouldn't see nor hear.

"Can't you just speak to me in a normal way?" She asked.

"_It's more fun this way."_ he chuckled in her head.

"Sadistic freak..." Maka snorted and tried to lift herself up. It looked like her back had taken some sort of blow since it hurt to get up so Maka was comfortable lying down. "What the heck was so important for me to sacrifice my back and leg?"

"_It almost sounds like you bear a grudge of some sort."_

"You don't say?" She let out a sarcastic laugh before realizing that the question had been rhetorical. Asura seemed to safe her from the humiliation however.

_"Hide my wavelength and guide me to the chambers and storage room of that school of yours."_

"HAH! What makes you think that I'm going to guide some suspicious guy?" Maka snickered and coughed a little.

"_I'm going to hurt you if you won't"_ he said and Maka felt the bleeding on her abdomen start again.

"That's not going to work. I'm a million times too good a person to do that just because I'm in pain."

The man was quiet. If Maka had seen him and not only heard, she'd have had a pretty good view of a wicked smile spread across his face.

"_Gallant. But you must know that I'm not here to make trades nor compromises. If you're not going to buckle, I'm going to hurt__them__.."_

Maka gasped and her eyes widened."No! Don't you dare..."

"_Oh yes. If you're not going to an obedient little girl, I'm going to hurt you and your friends." _The man laughed when Maka's face was painted with sheer horror. Whatever it was that the man wanted to have, it was in Death City and her friend's lives were at stake here. Maka gripped the white bed sheets so that her knuckles turned white and she gritted her teeth.

"I'll do it...I'll do as you say so don't touch them..." and damn him if he did.

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Yeah...The other possibility about the relationship of this pairing is...well for me it's that Asura beats up and Maka gets beaten up. Well there's some manipulating stuff in here too. Hope this doesn't get too OOC like. I hope it doesn't…Oh the classic and never ending "we're going to be late from school"-scene. And please answer the poll on my account. And sorry for all the spelling and grammar mistakes! I'm surprised I got some reviews o.o

until next chapter~.


	4. Chapter 4

Ja ehkä minulta jäi sittenkin jotain näkemättä sillä miten joku olisi voinut huomata sinun pikku huolesi joka kasvoi ja siitä kehittyi pieni maailma jossa sinä nyt elät.

Sinä joka olit kaikista pelokkain sait viimeinkin vastauksen josta pidit mutta se mitä se maksoi minulle, sain tietää vasta myöhemmin.

Oletko koskaan tullut ajatelleeksi sitä?

* * *

**The land of Morna.**

_Chapter 4._

It had been three days after the incident. Maka walked on the slick tiles of the floor. She had just come out of shower and looked slightly off. The water puddles on the ground made splashing sounds when she stepped on them to reach her towel.

In the end, her release from the infirmary had nothing to do with her hurting back and bruised leg but a certain thing that attracted way too much attention if she had anything to say for it.

"_So in other words I'm being observed because I have a stupid tattoo that, for the thousandth time, I didn't get! I don't waste money on tattoos. " Maka answered Stein once again, being very annoyed. Although she knew exactly who the tattoo was from, she was quite reluctant to let it go public. Maka really was getting the hang of lying to people._

"_I know it's dumb but your demeanor has been weird. Ever heard of pagans? They like to worship their gods with those…or that's what I've heard." Stein said and handed Maka a pen so that she could sign the pact to agree to their little observation session. Well it would last only about a month so it wasn't going to be problem._

_Maka had been in the infirmary for about a day when Stein got the idea to do a full body check on her. That's when he found the tattoo too. Well she herself _wasn't_ injured _that_ badly so that's why they were going to let her go home today. Soul was probably very worried, Maka sighed and scribbled her signature onto the blasted piece of paper._

"_Is this good?"_

"_Yeah. I'll inform you the results at the end of this month. Trust me Maka I know when insanity is taking a place in one's soul." The professor offered her a knowing smile, being one of the most affected by Asura's insanity._

The girl put the towel around herself and walked out of the bathroom. The shower had moistened the windows and mirrors but Maka was partly glad for that. She really didn't want to see her face right now.

"Ah! Maka-chan do you eat your pumpkin pie cold or warm?" Blair asked and stepped into sight in front of the oven where she had been squatting.

"Warm thank you." Maka answered and walked over to her room as fast as she could. The drift was making her get goosebumps. If Soul saw her he would probably give her a tirade and right now Maka wanted be alone for a while. She closed the door behind herself with a click and strode to the wardrobe.

"I've never needed one of those." A nonchalant voice said above Maka, right behind her.

"You!" Maka hissed with venom. She had been right about to take the towel off, thank god she didn't. A cold hand went up her tight before she even registered but instead of touching the place where most men would (and she expected him to be that most), it didn't even go near and skipped to her side - fingers closing on to her dreaded secret.

His palm was on top of the wound that should've killed her on that fateful night…

"Ironic isn't this? It's like you've made a pact with a demon that gets your souls when the contract is finished." Asura laughed and his other hand hugged her by waist and he rested his head on hers. Maka didn't really lean into the contact.

"So you say I'll lose my soul in the end?" Maka asked and Asura smirked. She felt his cheeks go up and muscles go taut.

"You don't sound scared. Why?"

Maka didn't answer to that. She had plans for the future. Follow in the footsteps of her mother, make Soul a death scythe, be praised and acknowledged by Shinigami-sama, become stronger than anyone…

Why was it that all of that seemed to be just a dream now?

"Let me go." Maka said sternly and yanked herself off and the man let go quite happily. He hated those who didn't have any fear. It made him jealous and jealousy was no good. Especially with humans.

"Turn around!" Maka shouted, irritated by the man's lack of moral even though he wasn't watching her. This seemed to tick the other off.

"Why should I? You belong to me after all." Asura smirked and earned a scorn worth praise. He sat on Maka's bed that made creaking sound and had his eyes glued on the girl. However, Maka could see that it wasn't a stare of interest or whatever the men looked like when they saw a naked woman. He just wanted to defy her like some fucking five-year-old kid

"Why do I get the impression that you're not a pervert even though you want to watch me?" Maka asked while opening the wardrobe. The smell of wood hit her nostrils and she exhaled.

"Who knows…Maybe I just like to know my possession fully?" Asura played with the thought. Maka however was quite smart and used the door of the wardrobe as a cover. The towel dropped to the floor quietly and Asura turned away. He did think something of dignity after all.

* * *

"Blair, is Maka home?" Soul asked when coming in from the front door. He had seen his meister in the infirmary and she hadn't looked good. Well her face didn't look good. If Soul had something to say, it would be that Maka was sad about something.

"Maka-chan's in her room. Cold or warm, Soul?" Blair asked while eating a pumpkin pie.

"Uh…Cold?" it became a question and he raised his eyebrow in confusion until a smell came from the kitchen. "Um Blair! Let me change that to warm!"

"Sure!" The pumpkin pie had been just taken out of the oven after all. Soul walked to Maka's door and knocked.

"_Blair?"_

"No it's me."

The room was quiet for a while then Soul heard footsteps coming closer and closer until he could see their shadow below the door. The door opened and revealed Maka who had taken her pigtails off, leaving her hair to fall down. She was wearing her pajamas.

"Where were you?" Maka asked with little melancholy. Scratch that, she didn't want to be alone at all. Before Maka knew Soul hugged her tightly.

"I'm here partner." he said calculatingly and Maka was first dumbfounded.

"Soul what are you doing?" She asked her voice wavering a bit. No she wouldn't cry! Maka had promised to herself she wouldn't cry over little things like this. She remembered her promise to the Kishin after all. There was no reason to shed salty water. She was so weak...

"Don't worry you can let it out on me. I listen." Soul said again and this time Maka couldn't hold the tears back. She clutched Soul as if he was her life line and sobbed hard. She didn't want this! Any of this! She should've died there at that graveyard instead of being saved by that…that monster! Now he owned her life, she had an owner and she didn't want one…she wanted to be free again.

"Soul, I'm so sorry! So sorry…" Maka sobbed at Soul's chest and buried herself on his scent. Soul smiled a little and knowingly. It lasted a few minutes then after Maka had calmed down, her face still red Soul gave her his grin and took Maka's hand. Dragging her to the dinner table, he cut her a piece of the pie.

Blair smiled, one corridor away from the two teenagers but she had to wonder…

Who could make Maka Albarn as fearful as that?

* * *

Stein looked through the patient file that had a familiar name on it. The computer was open in front of him and he was doing work as Marie slept peacefully on his couch.

´There's something fishy about this…´ Stein frowned but went stiff after sensing the all too familiar wavelength; even hiding it made it glow like a diamond. The shadows in the room twisted and insanity was present as the ever knowing witch stepped out from her hiding place with her snakes.

"Good evening Stein." Medusa smiled sickly and was hugging the professor from behind all too soon. "Another experiment?" she purred and traced the cuts on the professor's skin.

Stein didn't answer but scowled, "What are you doing here?"

"Came to say hello to my lover of course." she laughed and created a nasty look towards Marie.

"Stop doing that. She's not going to steal me and you know it." Stein said sternly. The snake witch seemed content with the reply but seemed to take another interest in the file in front of her _lover__._

"What's this? Are you trying to take that obnoxious girl apart and drag her insides out? Marvelous if I might add."

Stein didn't even want to suppress a grimace at that. Scalpels were not the thing in his mind now and for a few moments, he didn't want to take apart anyone else than the obnoxious witch.

"Since you bothered to come here you might as well answer me." Stein turned to Medusa but was interrupted when she crashed their lips together. The chair turned completely around and the witch woman climbed on Stein's lap, arms still over Stein's head. The scientist didn't take that too well and was about to shout at the other when Marie stirred a little.

Medusa was a quiet kisser that hardly made any noise other than rustling clothing and Stein did notice how his hand strayed onto her hips as she wriggled up and up until she bit his forehead. He pushed her away.

"Awkward..." Stein said as they stopped and flung his head back, checking that Marie hadn't woken up. Medusa was however busy with something else. She wasn't being distressed to be sitting on Stein's lap at all and in fact, seemed quite comfortable but her eyes were on the student file and narrowed with suspicion.

"Why does the girl need to be supervised?" Medusa asked with growing incredulously.

"Because this and that happened."

"As…?"

Stein sighed in frustration and moved to look the file. It didn't seem like the witch would attack at any moment but you had to be careful with snakes. "She has a tattoo of Kishin's tree eyes on her side."

Medusa's eyes widened and she resumed reading Maka's files. After a while a sick smile spread across her face.

"Of course why didn't I think about it…?" came a whisper, raw but strong - torn from Medusa's throat. Stein didn't like the gleam in the mad woman's eyes and quickly shut the file making a few reports fall down to the floor. Medusa used her agility to jump before Stein had the chance to grab her again. A mad chuckle echoed among the walls of the professor's apartment.

"What do you know?" Stein spat in agitation and Marie stirred, now almost awake.

"Stein what are you- A witch!" Marie shouted and fell from the couch. She didn't transform to tonfa since using her in this lab would cause significant damage. Marie's thoughts were broken when that disgustingly sweet voice spoke with so much anticipation.

"I had no idea he could do that…Oh know the joy since the Kishin has chosen Grigori!" Medusa laughed and disappeared in a heap of snakes and the shadows were normal again. They were left in an heavy atmosphere with suspicion and uncomfortable feelings. ´Did she just say…_has chosen_?´

"Stein what did you talk about?" Marie asked gently but when Stein seemed to not take any notice. Her smile wavered a bit and she squeezed her arm. "Why was she here?"

"We need to speak with Shinigami-sama. This is much more serious than madness…" His interruption didn't make her feel any better and Marie nodded sadly.

* * *

Ja sinä olit siinä ja minä muistan sinun valkoisen tukkasi.

Muistan sen paremmin, kun ajattelen sitä päivää jona tapasimme.

Kiitos kaikesta minun rakas ystäväni mutta joudun sanomaan hyvästit.

* * *

First I would like to apologize for I have not updated this fic too well. I have no excuses except that now I would be happy if someone told me a good angst fic. I want to get back into the mood fully. (´д`)

And to me Asura's no pervert. No heavens no!

And btw, those poems (if you like them…) are coming out every third chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I was having a major heart attack here when someone reviewed! And just because of that one review, I'm going to update. Hahaa! You better review faster next time! Btw, I've checked the other chapters for grammar and spelling mistakes again so 75% less mistakes! Also I think I already said this but LoM is going to be a short story (and I'm going very fast and simple with these chapters). I planned somewhere around 10 chapters so we're probably halfway there if I don't get a sudden urge - which I don't have right now - to make it longer. By the way, Merry Christmas.**

* * *

**Land of Morna**

_chapter 5._

The gates of Death city were closed and barren. Through the black bars the first rays of sun were to be seen going down. It was the best place for viewing the sunset, even though major part of the population believed it to be above the school - on the pointy towers of Death's castle. The shadows that were created by the bars were twisted and created a zebra illusion on people's skin who passed by them.

Maka wondered whether she could slip through the gates towards her unknown fate now that she had made a deal with the devil. The black water with its morbid deepness that promised never ending madness and quietness resided within her and its place was as sturdy as Soul's bright soul had been inside her just fifteen minutes ago. The musician always left a strong print on her whether she liked it or not.

"Come on, I don't want to be late," Soul urged her on as Maka snapped out from her daydream. A small touch occurred: fingertips reaching for her hand and she let them. Soul's hands were always warms and his long pianist fingers curled around her smaller ones.

The sweat that was beginning to accumulate between their hands reminded Maka of her own blood and how it had stained her hands. As they passed by the market place, arriving to Kilik's house, she didn't really mind her steps and let Soul guide her through everything.

"Who is it?" Kilik's voice asked from behind the white door that led to his and his pots' slightly bigger than normal accommodation.

"It's me. I've come for that LP record," Soul answered and Kilik's response stalled this time. It lasted only seconds but it seemed much longer. Kilik's locked door did the customary noise when opening its heavy mechanical safety measures and he let them to the lounge where Pot of Fire and Pot of Thunder were relaxing, watching telly.

Maka was standing in the lounge taking off her shoes as Soul and Kilik conversed. She corrected her red berry porridge colored cardigan and tugged the falling black knee sock up.

"Excuse me...," she mumbled and went past the boys to where the pots were. They gladly gave way to her and Pot of Fire went to sit on her lap. Maka didn't really find the show they watched interesting so she tuned it out and enjoyed the warmth the twin on her lap produced.

Kilik and his partners had just returned from their mission in Peru. They had gone with Black Star, if Maka remembered it right. The unfinished unpacking and opened suitcases lingered around and the house was only partly clean. On the sofa's backrest were dirty clothes which were full of dust and smelt of sweat. She wrinkled her nose and rubbed Thunder's head absentmindedly.

"I'll give the record. It's in my room," Kilik gestured Soul the follow and they disappeared into the depths of the small apartment.

Maka didn't actually even know what she was doing here. Soul being his overprotective self, didn't want to let his eyes off from her and Maka was almost grateful for the attention. She never knew when Asura might appear and having a Kishin around wasn't nice, especially when this one specific clown decided to freeze the ground he walked upon. But then again she could use this. Having spent most of her free time in her room and their kitchen, she had had a lot of time to think about things.

First – Thunder nibbled her finger and Maka stopped her petting - , it seemed as if normal people could see Asura and that's why he was so secretive. This would lead to complications if she was witnessed with him.

Second, she didn't know what it was yet but he wanted something from the storage room of Shibusen. Maka didn't know what kind of mischievous thoughts he was having in that thick head of his but it couldn't be good. But then again it could be nothing and completely harmless.

She scratched the three eyed mark through her clothing and felt it move a bit. She winced at the alien sensation and took a deep breath before relaxing again. Perhaps she could somehow lure Asura into the waiting palms of Shibusen and Lord Death. Maybe it would be worth the try. If she wanted more bruises.

* * *

"I knew we should have removed the mark," Shinigami murmured mostly to himself but Stein and Marie heard him just fine.

"If you're in need of surgical operation I'll be more than glad to help."

"A tattoo can be taken away yes, but what if it leaves something behind. I'm worried over the girl's health if you remove the mark. It could set something on," Shinigami answered and rubbed the spikes coming from his mask. "And then I'd fear for us all..."

"Have none of you told this to Spirit?" Marie asked.

"Spirit is currently somewhere else," Death answered and held his words after that.

"Perhaps we ought to talk to Maka," Stein offered, "In fact we should encourage her to come speak to someone, preferably you, Lord Death."

"You think I can help?"

"Perhaps not but you can handle insanity if there's any contained in that marking. You can also use your wavelength to check it for unfamiliar presences or hostile intent in it. Perhaps it's a plague," The professor offered, choosing the academic way to treat this.

"Might be. But why would it only appear on someone with a grigori of all people?" Marie raised her eyebrow, "Her soul should be immune to madness."

"There are moments when the natural defenses, among those who have a grigori, fail or become disturbed. If we want a specialist, we could call her mother back. Spirit would rejoice," Death snorted and let out a good humored laugh. The thought made Marie smile a bit but then she became unsure. "I'm not so sure of that..."

She looked at them and the humor disappeared within seconds. The room became a thoughtful laboratory where each tried their best to think how to help Maka out of something when they didn't even know how that something would affect her in any way. Marie didn't bring up the conversation Soul had had with her yesterday but she guessed it didn't really matter. He expressed her worries the same way she did and she had taken them to these two. If Stein couldn't help then no one could.

"There's something...," Death suddenly said, attracting all the attention. He raised his head, meeting their eyes with his empty sockets. The sight was, as always, something they had gotten used to.

"You do remember the time when Maka was injured and made a stunningly fast recovery."

"Of course, I treated her."

"I have my own suspicions about that. If the data is correct, then the mark appeared right after she woke up from immense blood loss. There could have been that one moment inside her when she thought she'd die and perhaps felt fear. Perhaps she was infected then."

"Infected?"

"Assuming it is a plague of some sort," Death shrugged. "Anyways it's not a problem that can be solved by surgery," He added playfully, lifting some of the academic atmosphere.

"Didn't Medusa say something about Kishin?" Marie asked from Stein.

"She did, but it can't be real," Stein frowned. "Why would a Kishin want a grigori?"

"I hear they have a special flavor. For other reasons: Don't ask me." Death raised his white hands to defend himself. Both professors had enlightened him about their little encounter with the obnoxious witch yesterday night. "Asura has never eaten a grigori since they cause stomach problems for him. Otherwise I think we'd all know. The weather might change if he did." Shinigami looked out from the little window in the Death Room. The sky looked normal for now with its blue colors and laughing sun.

"The anti-demon wavelength." Marie nodded.

"For now I think we should let this be. Maka should come to me if anything weird happens and I'm inviting her here tomorrow. She'll tell me if there's anything wrong. The safest route is to make sure no other student has the three eyed mark. Also Stein," he turned towards the professor, "I want you to go and invent a new anti-madness drug."

"Will be done."

"And Marie,"

"Yes, Lord Death?"

"I want someone to keep an eye on Maka. You could talk to Soul about it. I'll discuss things with Spirit when he returns." he got a nod and Death chirped happily, "Excellent! Well I think this was it."

"We'll call you if anything happens," Stein patted his coat and turned the screw in his head around.

"I'll be here," Death waved when the duo started going down the small steps from the platform towards the guillotine alley. Exiting Death Room, Marie asked Stein for a meal.

Stein nodded, "Anything to get my mind off this."

* * *

The sound of Jazz reverberated in their shared apartment. Soul had gotten the records he had come looking for and Maka had honestly been grateful to return home. Kilik had cast a weird glance at her abdomen, eyes searching the rumored mark, as if it would have shown through clothing. Maka had placed a palm on top of it and he had stopped staring, and searched her eyes instead.

"Get it treated." Was all he had said and then they had left. Maka honestly agreed but the way the Pot meister had said it was like she herself was unwanted in the house - or at least her side was. Ridiculous.

"Do you want an ice cream?" Blair asked when Maka had washed the dishes. She was wearing her yellow apron with a panda head between the breast.

"Not now. By the way, I want you to cook something for yourself the next week. Soul is leaving for a solo and I'm going somewhere." Blair agreed.

"Tests coming up?"

Maka smiled scornfully, "Something like that."

Asura didn't visit her that week. She eased a bit after Sunday morning passed without any big fiascoes; yet a foreboding feeling churned in her stomach every time Maka glanced at the calendar which showed August 5th. It had been a fortnight ago when she had signed the contract to agree upon their sessions (her _treatment,_ as Nygus called it), she had dutifully, though reluctantly, went to them always and arrived on time this day too. Nygus gestured for her to sit down onto the infirmary bed while Maka took her shirt off.

"It has moved again," The nurse muttered to herself. Maka sighed; she had already known that from yesterday when she'd taken a look at a mirror. Now the third eyed mark rested on her left arm, going around it. Absentmindedly, when Nygus went to write her report to a computer, Maka touched her abdomen.

_´Shouldn't it be on top of the wound or something,´ _she stared the ceiling. Nygus finished whatever she had been writing and gestured for them to continue. Maka was subjected to blood sample taking, body check (truly the bravura of the school nurse!) and lastly she was asked to perform a Soul Resonance with Nygus.

That didn't end too well as ultimately it was Maka who was lying on the ground with her face contorted in pain. Nygus herself didn't look very surprised when it happened.

"I thought so; You cannot perform your normal resonance anymore," Their eyes met and suddenly, when Maka was clutching her abdomen, she got an urge. It was her body and brain telling her to do something which her instinct fought against.

She wanted to cut this woman to pieces. She wanted to hurt her for doing this to her, for reducing her to a lab rat. Perhaps it was Medusa once again operating from behind the scenes so perhaps she'd be doing Shibusen a favor. Her latest failure was carved into her mind, always bugging her, not letting it go and be forgotten.

"Don't look at me like that. You have to do this." Nygus retorted and helped her up. Maka realized what she'd just been thinking and blinked.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Ultimately this isn't your fault...well maybe it is but we don't mind now. You've been summoned to Death Room by the way."

"Shinigami-sama?"

"He'd like to talk to you before your father gets back," Nygus said and waved the blood sample she'd taken.

* * *

A/N: I've made a vow with myself to update almost everything before or on Christmas. So beware. Hope you enjoyed and please! Give me a present in a form of a review. I'll wish you all a peaceful and nice eve. Hope you lot get presents :)


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